


Like Stars in the Daytime

by toaster_fox



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Child Neglect, Clay | Dream and Toby Smith | Tubbo are Siblings, Crying, Developing Relationship, Dream is a good friend, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Oh to run away with your friend in the middle of the night, Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Oldest Child Wilbur Soot Supremacy, Running Away, Wilbur Soot Needs a Hug, and escape your parents, maybe? idk how long this will be, patches is there too, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toaster_fox/pseuds/toaster_fox
Summary: Wilbur has enough of his family one night and decides his only option left is to run away. Dream gives up on trying to stop him and goes with him, leaving his own family behind as well.The two escape, leaving their families to sift through the dust and find out where they went wrong.Don't like, don't read, I'm not here to please you.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Wilbur Soot, Clay | Dream/Wilbur Soot, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 27
Kudos: 400





	1. The Walls Don't Love You

Rapid knocking on the window echoed through the room, making Dream jump. The clock read 9 PM so it wasn’t too late to him, but still late enough to be concerning. He shoved the book he was reading to the side and shuffled out of bed. There was only one person he knew who would be at Dream’s window this late at night. Or just at Dream’s window in general, it wasn’t exactly a universal habit between his friends.

He tugged the glass up, jumping to the side as his visitor immediately tumbled to the carpeted floor. He shook his head in amusement, closing the window again just as he heard something. Sniffling. He paused, looking back to the pile of lanky limbs curled on the floor. He was shaking, desperately gasping for breath. His face was buried in the sleeves of his sweater, but evidence told Dream that he was crying.

He dropped to the ground, hesitantly reaching to pull one of the arms from his friend’s face. The other immediately sat up, latching himself to Dream and shoving his face in the boy’s shoulder. He felt water seeping into the fabric of his hoodie and a pain in his heart. He gently rubbed circles on the other’s back, who only tightened his grip and sobbed loudly. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, but Dream couldn’t bring himself to pull away.

Eventually the taller shook Dream off, shifting away and giving one last sniffle. His brown hair was a mess, hanging over the boy’s eyes and smudged glasses. He hugged his knees to his chest, fidgeting with his fingers.

“I-I’m sorry..I’m a fucking mess r-right now.” His voice came out raspy and broken.

“It’s okay, Wilbur. I’m here to help in any way I can.” Dream rested a hand on Wilbur’s restless ones, stopping them from tearing each other apart. He grazed his thumb softly over the smooth skin, exhaling in relief when he felt the other relax. “If..If you don’t mind telling me, what happened?”

Wilbur coughed, shifting uncomfortable. “It’s my dad again.” He paused, looking at Dream with watery eyes, inhaling deeply. He pushed his friend’s hand away. “It’s stupid- just forget this happened.”

Dream stopped him from getting up, grasping his knee firmly. “No, whatever happened clearly upset you. Talk to me, Will.”

Wilbur didn’t say anything for a moment, just staring at Dream’s hand. Finally he looked up with a sigh. “We got in a fight. I don’t even remember why- I think I forgot to do something and he got mad. He- he started getting mad about other things, too, and asked why I couldn’t be more like my brothers. God, why am I such a fuck-up? I wouldn’t be here if I just _did_ what I was asked to.”

Dream squeezed his knee comfortingly as tears started to build up in the other’s eyes again. “He shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.”

“Yes he should have.”

“No. You forgot one thing and he came after you for everything else. Wilbur, tell me, when was the last time Tommy got yelled at? Techno?”

Wilbur thought for a moment, then shook his head sadly. “I can’t remember.”

“Your dad had no right to yell then.” He shushed the other from trying to retort. As much as he loved Phil, the father had his problems. He hated that he couldn’t get Wilbur to admit that something was wrong with his treatment, but the boy had a bad habit of keeping everything to himself and trying to keep a positive persona.

The silence was deafening, swallowing the two and leaving them sitting with a heavy sickness in their stomachs. Dream couldn’t even hear the white noise of his brother’s video games or the hum of the vents. Everything kept quiet, afraid to shatter the air if they so much as moved. He almost felt like he was drowning when Wilbur’s whisper brushed his ear. It was barely there, faint and hesitant.

“I’m gonna run away.”

“”Wilbur, what?” Dream cringed as his voice went up an octave in despair and confusion. Had he heard the other right? “You can’t just leave!”

“What’s stopping me? I have nothing here, I’m a waste of space. Nobody would care if I disappeared.”

“ _I’d_ care!” He blinked away the tears blurring his vision, blindly reaching out for Wilbur’s arm. He gripped the other’s sweater, desperately holding the other down.

“Then come with me.” Wilbur’s face was a stone slate, revealing none of what he was feeling. Dream stared, searching for anything to tell him if Wilbur was serious or not. Was he actually asking Dream to pack his shit and leave with him?

“We can leave tonight, be gone by morning. Nobody will know where we went, it’ll be perfect! Just me and you; no shitty parents, no brothers, nobody to tell us what to do.” Wilbur tapped his fingers as he made the list, face breaking into a smile. “We’d be free.”

Dream couldn’t speak. Could he up and leave everything? Could he just give up his current life to spend it with his friend in god knows where? Was he actually considering doing it?

“I’ll go.”

-.o.- 

“Tommy, can you wake up Will? He’s gonna be late for school.” Phil tapped his foot in irritation as he buttered some toast. Wilbur was never like this! At least Phil didn’t think so, he doesn’t remember what time he saw his eldest son yesterday.

Tommy groaned, dramatically pushing himself away from the breakfast table and stomping off towards the stairs. Phil shook his head as the unnecessarily loud footsteps echoed through the house. Children.

A minute passed and Tommy called downstairs. “He’s not answering.”

“Tell him to get out here before I take his guitar.” Phil sighed, dropping the knife in the sink and brushing breadcrumbs off his shirt.

“Still nothing!” Phil started to feel confused. Wilbur wouldn’t ignore him twice. Was he still mad from last night? The father made his way upstairs, slamming his fist against the door a few times.

“Wilbur, get out here! Now!” Not a peep from the other side. Phil shook his head, knocking again before just grabbing the doorknob. The door swung open, much to his surprise. Wilbur always locked his door when he was mad. Phil brushed it off though, entering the room.

It felt a little empty in there despite the mess. Clothes were scattered and tossed all over, draping the furniture as an unappealing design choice. Books were misplaced and the desk was cluttered with items carelessly covering the surface. It was like a tornado hit.

Phil grumbled in disappointment at his son’s cleanliness and walked towards the bed. Wilbur was wrapped tightly in blankets, covering even his head. Phil shook the cocoon roughly.

“Will!” The lump was too soft to be human. He tugged the covers away in confusion. He felt his heart drop when he saw the pillows shoved together and hidden. Wilbur wasn’t there.

“Where is he?” Tommy grabbed a pillow, glaring at it like it would magically grow a mouth and answer. It would be amusing to Phil if he knew it was a joke. But this was no joke. He glanced around the room quizzically.

“Will, come out this isn’t funny.” Nothing but silence. “Will?”

-.o.- 

Dream adjusted his hoodie, hissing when Patches once again scratched at his stomach. His backpack was too full for her, so he was forced to hide her under his clothes. She did not enjoy this, meowing in confusion and annoyance. He hated to put her through this but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her behind. Wilbur stood calmly next to him, gripping the nearest support pole. The bus was quite packed surprisingly, and the taller had been forced to stand so Dream could sit with his cat.

Their escape had been a bit messy, Techno almost walking in while Wilbur was stuffing a backpack with clothes and necessities. Dream had run into Tubbo while packing his own things, but thankfully his little brother didn’t question him. They’d tried to steal Dream’s parent’s car, but the keys were in his parent’s room and he didn’t want to risk waking them.

Wilbur internally groaned as a baby started crying next to him. The mother was doing nothing to stop it, staring at her phone obliviously. Wilbur glared at the baby, who paused to stare back before continuing to wale about nothing. Wilbur wished he could get off the bus right then.

The duo were reaching their fifth hour on the bus when it finally came to a stop. Wilbur shook his companion awake and quickly dragged him out. He smiled and sighed contently as cool air hit his face, staring up at the towering buildings around them. The bit of visible sky was lavender and rose from the rising sun, dotted with the last few stars of the night.

This was it, this was his new start. Just him and Dream, hiding in the city, free to do what they pleased. Them against the world, and Wilbur never felt more powerful than he did in that moment.

Just him and Dream.


	2. Maybe I Could Wake Up and Feel Alright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi, sorry this took so long to come out. motivation is a bitch and i have too many wild ideas running in my brain daily. but hopefully updates will be more common now that i have a friend to bug me about writing it.

Tommy watched silently as his father paced the kitchen, phone clutched tightly in his hand as he rambled to whoever was on the other end. Tommy tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it only made him feel like he was choking. His fingers scratched and pulled at the sleeves of his shirt, twitching anxiously in their fight for composure.

He jumped at the sound of a rough knock on the door, immediately knowing who it was and why. He left his father to continue his phone call, running for the front door. As soon as he swings it open he feels a large weight fall against him. His hand instinctively raises to pat the other person on the back, ignoring how their grip tightened and the front of his shirt grew wet. He could change it later, right now his friend needed him.

He shuffled the two towards the living room, settling them down on the couch just as the shorter boy pulls away and scrubs at his face. Tommy bites the inside of his cheek, keeping his hand on his friend’s back as he calms himself down. The silence is deafening, but neither cared to break it just yet.

The shorter leans against Tommy as he chokes down another sob, clinging to himself tightly. “He-he’s never gone this long.”

Tommy nodded, squeezing his friend’s arms gently. He was well aware the other’s brother often ran off overnight, probably causing trouble or maybe even doing drugs. It was normal to wake up and see his bed empty and the window open. Their mom never found out, believing the ridiculous excuses the younger would make for the other’s absence. The older would always be home by the late afternoon, vague about his whereabouts and hair ruffled up from adventure.

“He didn’t come home last night?”

“No! I waited all night for him to knock but-but he didn’t!” He flinched a bit at the way the other’s voice raised.

“Tubbo, calm down. I’m sure he’s fine.”

Tubbo sniffled, nodding his head weakly. “Maybe Wilbur knows where he is.”

Tommy’s heart dropped to his stomach and he shuddered slightly. Did the room get colder? “We can’t ask him.”

“Why can’t we? It’s the weekend, surely he’s home?”

“Tubbo, he-” Tommy breathed, for once feeling like he couldn’t speak. “He’s missing.”

“What?” Tubbo’s eyes widened, his previously clenched jaw hanging limp with disbelief.

Before Tommy could respond, the two were interrupted by the broken shouts of frustration that rang out from the kitchen. They shared a look, the emotions mixed and muddled as the gravity of everything weighed down on them. Tubbo’s lip quivered as his eyes became watery again, promptly falling forward into Tommy’s arms.

As Tommy sat there comforting his grieving friend, he stared out the window at the occasional passing car with one question poking uncomfortable at his brain.

Where were they?

-.o.-

Wilbur shifted uncomfortable, grumbling as the sun woke him up. His back ached from leaning against a wall all night, but when he went to stretch he was stopped by a weight on his shoulder. He glanced down, momentarily forgetting he wasn’t alone on this adventure. A smile blossomed on his face at the sight of the sleeping boy next to him, curled up and nestled comfortably against him.

Wilbur found it kind of adorable, the way he gently clung to the sleeve of Wilbur’s sweater as a constant reminder that he was there. He admired how soft his face looked, dotted with freckles and relaxed, contrasting it’s usual stiff and anxious appearance. It was a nice change.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat staring, but eventually Dream started to shift and groan. Wilbur shook himself back into focus, adjusting the two’s position as Dream’s eyes fluttered open. The shorter blinked in confusion, looking around the hotel lobby the two were situated in. When his brain caught up with his vision, he dropped back against the wall with a sigh. Wilbur, finally able to stretch, gladly sat up and indulged in the feeling of the soreness leaving his muscles.

Just before he could stand up, he was once again dragged back down by someone on his shoulder. He huffed quietly as Dream rested his chin on the other’s shoulder, eyes squinting in the early morning heaviness that still hung over the two. Wilbur smiled a little, leaning his head against his friend’s and humming contently.

“‘M hungry,” Dream mumbled, burrowing his nose on the soft fabric of Wilbur’s sweater. The taller reached his other arm across to play with the long dirty blond hair hanging over Dream’s face, pushing it out of the way.

“We can go find something.” Dream perked up, grinning like a child on Christmas.

Wilbur couldn’t help the way it made his heart flutter.

.o.

Maybe Wilbur should have gone through his father’s savings before running away. Food was expensive, and even buying McDonald’s added up and took a huge bite from their balance. It put a bit of a damper on his mood, but seeing the smile on Dream’s face as he happily munched on fries was enough to push the thought aside.

He wasn’t a big fan of sitting in a booth and surrounded by strangers, anxiety scratching at his brain. He guessed it was better than sitting in a dirty alley, though it would be quieter and he wouldn’t be trying to hide a cat from the restaurant staff. He’d long finished his own food, most the fries going towards keeping Patches fed and calm. He just wanted to go already.

“Do you think anyone noticed we’re gone yet?” Dream asked through a mouthful of food, Wilbur inwardly cringing at his friend’s etiquette. Phil would never let him be rude like that. He quickly dismissed his judgement though; it didn’t matter right then.

“I’m sure Tubbo has.”

“And your family?” Dream’s voice went significantly softer now, his eyebrows knitted together in concern. Wilbur paused, feeling a lump of guilt in his throat that he quickly swallowed.

“I doubt they care. I was nothing but a burden anyways.”

“That’s not true.” Dream reached across the table to grab Wilbur’s hand. “You weren’t a burden.”

“My da-Phil would disagree,” Wilbur muttered, holding his head up with his free hand. He glanced away as Dream gave him a sad look, glaring down at the table instead. He mentally begged for Dream to just take the hint and drop the subject, thankful for the silence that befell the two. His family didn’t matter anymore, he shouldn’t be worried about what they thought or how they felt.

It was just him and Dream, two friends free in the city.


End file.
